Gearing for washing machines



C. C. LAMB.

GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, 1920.

Patented' Jan. 17, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET I C. C. LAMB.

GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APLICATION FILED MAR. Il

Patented J an. 17571922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. c. LAMB.

GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. II, I920. l 1,403,503. Patented Jan. 17,1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

nooeopou C C. LAMB.

GEARlNG Foa wAsHmG MACHINES.

APPLICATION FILED MAR-1l, 1920. 1,403,503., Patented Jan. 17, 1922.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT ori-ica CHARLES C. LAMB, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS,ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO WILLARD M. MCEWEN, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

GEARING FOR WASHING MACHINES.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented J an. 17, 1922.

Application led March 11, 1920. Serial No.`364,941.

To all fav/710m` it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. LAMB, a citizen of the United States,residing at Chicago, in the county ofCook and State A of Illinois, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Gearing forVashing Machines, ofwhich the following is a spec-ification.

This invention relates to an improved form of gearing particularlyadapted for washing machines of the domestic type, and consists in thematters hereinafter described and more particularly pointed out in theappended claims.

In the accompanying drawings- Fig. 1 is a side view of a washing-machineembodying a gearing constructed in accordance with my invention;

Fig. 2 is a view of one end of the machine and showing the blowerconnected with the pipe which discharges air into the water in themachine during the washing operation;

'Fig 3 is a like view and shows the blower connected with a dustcollector and vacuum cleaner hose;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on line 4 4 ofFig. 2, and showing the pounder mechanism of the machine;

Fig. 5 is av horizontal Sectional view taken through the support orstand of the'machine and showing the gearing directly mounted on thatpart;

Figs. 6 and 7 are vertical sectional views taken on lines 6 6 and 7 7,respectively, of Fig. 4;

Fig. 8 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 8 8 of Fig. 3 to showa detail of construction; y

Figs. 9 and 10 are enlarged vertical sectional views taken on lines 9 9and l0 1(}, respectively, of Fig. 5;

Fig. 11 is a top plan view of the clutchmechanism; and

Fig. 12 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 12 12 of Fig. 11;

T he gearing 0f my invention, in the form Ashown in Figs. 1 to 12inclusive. comprisesin shape with rounded bottom walls, las show n. T hecontainer 4 is the outer tub and 1s mounted on the support 1 in a mannerto be held stationary, as yby rigidly securing on the outside of the tub4 angleirons 6, which seat or rest on a cross-bar 7 on the frame 3. Thecross-bar has dowel pins 8, one for each angle-iron and'entering asocket 9 therein, as shown in Fig. 8. The outer container 4 is largerthan the inner one 5, and the latter i5 mounted to be turned about avertical axis. By having one container larger than the other, there is aspace between them, as shown in Figs. 4 and 10, and the inner container5 is perforated or foraminated so that it constitutes a basket which maybe used as a centrifugal wringer and thus permit the garments therein tobe rinsed vor wrung after the washing operation has been completed and'without being required to removethem from the machine for that purpose.To drain off the water from the outer andv inner containers, the formeris provided with an outlet 'pipe 10 having a faucet or'cock 11 at itsdischarge end beyond the support 1, as shown in Fig. 1. The tops of thecontainers are open to permit access into thev same, and the outer tub 4has a removable cover or lid 1 2, as shown. This has handles 13- tofacilitate removing and placing the cover on the tub 4.

To the under side of the cross-bar 7 is secured a substantially U-shapedbracket 14, this being located substantially midway between the ends ofthe bar and in which is rotatably mounted a vertically arranged mainoperating shaft 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 16. On said shaft are fixedtwo toothed wheels 16, 17, one above the other, as shown. The upperwheel 16 is in the -form of a sprocket wheel, and the lower one 1.7 isin the form ofabeveled gear wheel. Secured between the legs 2 below ythebracket 14 is a flat, horizontally arranged shelf or plate 18, uponwhich is mounted an electric motor 19, arranged with its armature shaft2O sub-y stantially horizontal. Aligned with said armature lshaft is ashaft 21supported above shown in Fig. 9. Loosely mounted on the naled ina vcross-member 28 provided on the bracket for that urpose. Looselymounted on the shaft 26 1s a beveled gear wheel 29 meshing with thebeveled gear wheel 17 on the main shaft 15. Said gear wheel 29 is heldfrom movement out of mesh with said gear wheel 17 in any'well knownmanner, as by collars (not shown). Splined on the shaft 26 is a clutchcollar'30 having clutch teeth to engage complementary parts on the gearwheel 29. The collar 30 is grooved to receive the' arms of a shifteryoke 31 constituting a part of the clutch mechanism, to be hereinafterdescribed, and used for moving the collar 30 into and outof clutch withsaid gear wheel 29 for connecting it to and disconnecting it from saidshaft 26.

Projecting above the support or stand 1 is an upright shaft 32 extendingthrough the bottom walls of the inner and outer containers 4 and 5, asclearly shown in Fi 10. This shaft 32 extends loosely througi thecross-bar 7 and has its lower end 33 made rectangular to enter aVcomplementary shaped socket or recess 34 in the up er end of the mainshaft 15, so that the s aft 32 will be connected with and rotated by theshaft 15 upon the turning vthereof by the motor 19. Applied over theshaft 32 are two tubes 35, 36, the outer one 35, extending through thebottom wall of the basket 5, but terminating short of the bottom wall ofthe outer tub 4. The outer tube 35 is secured to the bottom wall of thebaskety 5 by a two-part boss 37 and rejects above said shaft and isthere rigldly secured to the same, so that 4the shaft 32 will rotate thebasket 5 and not the outer tub 4. The inner tube 36 isloosely mounted onsaid shaft and extends through the bottom wall of the tub 4 `and restson the cross-bar 7. Said inner tube is secured to said tub by a two-partboss 38. By having the lower end of the shaft`or spindle 32 removablyconnected with the main shaft 15, and the 'outer tube 35 secured to theshaft 32, the basket 5 may be readily withdrawn from the outer tub 4,and the latter completely removed from the support or stand 1.Thispermits the containers to `be removed for cleansing or repair, andalso to free the stand of the weight of such parts so that the stand maybe readily moved about when the 'motor operates the blower, to. be laterreferred to, as a vacuum cleaning element.

Vhen the clutch collar 30 is shifted to connect the gear wheel 29 withthe shaft 26 kof the motor being reduced by the provision 'of the wormdrive in the transmission mechanism described.

To rotate the basket 5 at a greater `rate of speed for rinsing orwringing, the' gearing includes the following parts. Secured to theinner face of one of the side members of the frame 3 is an inwardlyprojecting bracket 39, arranged substantially horizontal, as shown inFig. 5, and supporting a vertically arranged shaft 40, as shown in Fig.9. To the upper end of .said shaft 40 is fixed a sprocket wheel 41, overwhich is trained a sprocket chainl 42, this inv turn being trained overthe sprocket wheel 16 on the main shaft 15, as clearly shown in Fig. 5.To the lower end of said shaft 40 is fixed a beveled gear pinion 43meshing with a beveled gear wheel 44 loosely mounted on ,the shaft 21,as shown in Fig. 9. On the worm 24 is fixed a clutch collar 45 havingclutch teeth to engage complementary parts On a clutch collar 46 splinedon the shaft 21 between the worm 24 and the beveled gear wheel 44. A Theclutch collar 46 is grooved to receive the yoked end of a bell cranklever 47 horizontally arranged and fulcrumed on an upright post 48 onthe plate 18, as shown in Fig. 11. When the clutch `collar 46 has beenshifted to engage the clutch collar 45, the worm 24 is connected withthe shaft 21, and no` power is transmitted to the gear wheel 44. On theother handwhen the clutch collar 46 has been shifted to engage said gearwheel 44, the latter is connected withfthe shaft 21 and rotated by themotor, while the worm 24 is disconnected from/ said shaft, the clutchcollar 30 at that time being disconnected from the gear wheel 29. Themain shaft 15 is then rotated by thel motor 'through the sprocket chain-42, and the basket' 5 rotated at a greater rate of speed than throughthe .worm drive, thereby giving the basket the relatively high speedrequired for rinsing or wringing; 'in other words, converting the basketfrom a washing element into a centrifugal wringer.

The shaft 21, as shown in Fig. 9. extends through and beyond the gearwheel 44. and is there journaled in an upright standard 49 on said plate18. Fixed to the outer end of said shaft 21 is a clutch collar 50 havingteeth to engage a clutch collar 5l splined on the. opposed end of theshaft 52 of a blower 53 mounted on said plate 18. The blower shaft52Vand the shaft 21 terminate short of each other, as shown. A spring 54surrounds said blower shaft and tends to urge the clutch collar 51thereon into clutch engagement with the clutch collar 50.

The clutch mechanism also includesy a rod 55 horizontallyarranged andmounted in one of the standards 22, as shown in Fig. 12. The outer endof this rod 55 is pivoted at 56 to an upright hand lever 57 pivoted atits lower end on the plate 18 and carrying at its handled upper end alatch 58 to co-operate with a notched segment 59 secured to the frame 3,asv shown in Fig. 3. The inner end of the rod 55 is provided with theyoke 31 for engaging the clutch collar 30. The inner arm 6() of saidbell-crank lever enters an elongated horizontal slot 61 in the rod 55,as shown in Fig. 11, so that when the hand lever 57 is moved thebell-crank lever will be moved. Forthe clutch collar 51 there is a lever62 pivotal'ly mounted on an upright post 63 on the plate 18. At theouter end of this lever is a yoke to engage the collar 51. Thebell-crank lever has a rearwardly'extending arm 64 connected by a link6,5 with the inner end of the -lever 62, as shown in said Fig. 11. Asshown, in Fig. 3, the segment 59 has three notches '66, 67, and 68. Whenthe lever 57 is at the first notch 66, the parts of the clutch mechanismare in the positions shown in Fig. 11.` Thus', the gear wheel 44 isconnected with the shaft 21, and the basket 5 rotated by the motor atthe high rate of speed required for rinsing or wringing. By

shifting the hand lever 57 to the next notch 67, the bell-crank lever 47will be-moved to `withdraw the clutch member '46 out of engagement withthe gear wheel 44, and, by reason of the lost motion provided by the islot 61, the spring 54 will act to force the clutch collar 51 intoengagement with the clutch collar 50 and thus connect the blower 53vwith said motor, the remaining parts ,of the gearing and basketremaining idle as the blower is rotated. Shifting the hand lever 57 tothe next notch 68. will move the clutch col-lar 30 into engagement withthe gear wheel'29 and the clutch' collar 46 into engagement with theclutch collar 45, thus connecting the worm 24 with'the shaft 21 torotate the basket 5 for washing purposes. The clutch collar 51 remainsin connection with the one 50 so that the blower will be operated atthat time to discharge air into the water in the tub 4 and aid inlagitating the water to effect an etiicient 'washing of the garments inthe machine. I

@n the outside of the tub 4 is a vertically arranged )ipe 69 connectedwith a vertical pipe section 7 0 inthe space between the tub 4 andbasket 5, as shown in Fig. 4. This pipe section 70 extends below theynormal water level in the tub, and is closed at its lower end by a capor plug 71. Above the plug the pipe section 7() is provided with aplurality of holes 72` vertically disposed and arranged to discharge airagainst the direction of rotation of the basket. The

sudabiypipe 69 is connected with ythe outlet of the i blower by an airhose 7 3.`

To use the blower as part of the vacuum cleaner equipment, I removablylmount on the plate 18 a dust collector 74, which may be connected withthe outlet of the blower bv a hose 7 5. Tothe inlet end of the blower isconnected a hose 76, carrying at its outer end a vacuum cleaner nozzle77, as shown in Fig. 3. At this time the hose 73 is removed, as shown insaid figure.

Mounted on the upper end of the outer tube 35 is a bracket 78 havingdepending and diverging arms 79, 79. This bracket is secured to theunder side of the cover or lid 12 and thus is held from rotation withthe tube 35 and shaft 32. Located above said bracket is a horizontallyarranged counter-shaft having at each yendan eccentric 81, about whichisan eccentric strap 82 connected with a reciprocating pounder 83 belowthe same Rotatably mounted on the top of the bracket 78 is a beveledgear Wheel 84 meshing with a beveled gear wheel 85 fixed on the shaft80. 'Each pounder 83' has an upright rod 86 extending through theassociated arm 79 of the bracket and connected at its upper end with theassociated eccentric strap, as snown in Figs. 4 and 6. To connect anddisconthe tube 35, I provide a vertically arranged, rectangular rod 87extending through the gear wheel 84 and into a Square or like recess orsocket in the upper end of said tube 35. This rod has a head above thegear wheel and there has rotative connection with the lower end of ashift member 88 yoked. between its ends to stralldle the shaft 80, as

-nect the pounder mechanism to and from f rapid rate of speed forwringing or rinsing and also when the lid 12 is removed from the tub 4.Vhen the gear wheel 84 is connected with the tube 35, power will betransmitted from the motor to reciprocate thev pounders 83, as isapparent.

In the form of gearing shown, there 1s only a single hand operated leverof the" clutch mechanism, so vthat the `operator need only move the handoperated lever into any one of the three positions mentioned foreffecting the result desired.

To facilitate lifting the tub 4, it may be provided with handles 4*l onthe outside thereof. The lid 12 is formed to permit the said toothedwheel, two meshing gear wheels,

'housings 113 forvthe eccentrics-Sl'lto extend above the same and also ahousing 114 for the gear wheel 85.

vWhile I have shown and described in detail a gearing embodying thefeatures of my invention, it is to be 'of course understood that thedetails of construction and arrangement of parts `shown may be.variously changed and modified without departing from the spirit andscope of myl invention.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a gearing of the character described, the combination of asupport, a main operating shaft rotatably mounted onl said sup ort, amotor on said support, two toothed .W eels on said shaft, a second shaftrotated by vsaid motor, power transmitting mechanism including a wormloosely Vmounted on said second shaft for connecting one of said toothedwheels with said motor, a clutch member for one loosely lmounted on saidsecond shaft, power transmitting mechanism connecting the other of said'gearwheels with the other of said toothed wheels, and a clutch membersplined on saidl second shaft between the gear wheel and the wormthereon for connecting and disconnecting the gear wheel and the worm toand from said second Shaft.

2. In a gearing of the character described, the combination of asupport, a main operating shaft rotatably mounted on said 'support, amotor on said support, two toothed wheels loosely mounted on said shaft,a second shaft' rotated by said motor, a worm loosely mounted on saidsecond shaft and meshing with one of said toothed wheels, a. clutchmember splined on said main shaft between the toothed wheels thereon forconnecting and disconnecting said toothed wheels thereto, two meshinggear wheels, one

loosely mounted on saidsecond shaft, power transmitting mechanismconnecting the other of said gear 'wheels to the' other of said toothedwheels, a clutch member splined on said second shaft between the vworinand the gear wheel thereon for connectingland disconnecting said earwheel and worm to and from said seconcigsh'afmand means including il)single lever for moving said clutch meiners.;

3. In a gearing of the character described,

4the combinationof a support, a main operv ating shaftrotatably'mountedyon said supy soV port, a motor on said support, a gearwheel and a worm gear loosely mounted on said shaft, a clutch membersplined on said shaft between said gearwheel and wormgear for connectingand disconnecting the same to and from said shaft, a second shaftrotated by'said motor, a worm loosely mounted on said second shaft andmeshing with said worm gear wheel, a counter-shaft, two mesh` l inorbeveled gears, one loosely mounted on said second shaft and the otherfixed to saidl counter-shaft, a spur gear wheel fixedto saidcounter-shaft and meshing withy lthe gear wheel on said main shaft, aclutch member splined on said second shaft between the worm and thebeveled gear wheel thereon for connecting and disconnecting the same toand from said .second shaft, andi'neans including a single lever formoving said clutch members. l

4. Ina gearing of the character described, the combination of. asupport, a main upright operating sha-ft rotatably mounted on saidsupport, a` motor on said support, power transmitting mechanismconnecting said motor with said shaft, a second shaft aligned with saidmain shaft and rotated thereby, a counter-shaft arranged above saidsecond shaft and transverse thereto, a vertically reciprocable rodsubstantially parallel to'said second shaft, means connecting said rodwith said counter-shaft for reciprocating the. same upon the rotationofsaid counter-shaft, and means l connecting said' counter-shaft withsaid second shaft for rotating the former by the latter.

' 5. In a gearing of the character described, the combination of asupport, a main upright operating shaft rotatably mounted on saidsupport, a motor on said support, power vtransmitting mechanismconnecting said motorwith said shaft, a second shaft aligned with saidmain shaft and rotated thereby, a counter-shaft arranged above saidsecond shaft and transverse thereto, a vertically reciprocable rodsubstantially parallel to said second shaft, an eccentric fixed on saidcounter-shaft and connected with said rod for reciprocating the same,ltwo meshing beveled gears, one fixed on the countersiaft and the otherrotated by said second s iaft.,

6. In a gearing of the character described, the combination of asupport, a main upright operating shaft rotatably mounted on saidsupport, a motor on said support, power transmitting mechanismconnecting said motor with said shaft, a second shaft aligned with saidmain shaft and rotated thereby, a counter-shaft arranged above rightoperating shaft rotatably mounted on.

said support, a motor on said support, power transmitting mechanismconnecting said motor with said shaft, a second 'shaft iio aligned withsaid main shaft and rotated thereby, a counter-shaft arranged above saidsecond shaft and transverse thereto, a vertically reciprocable rodsubstantially parallel to said second shaft, an`eccentric fixed on saidcounter-shaft and connected with said rod for reciprocating the same,twomeshing beveled gears, one fixed on the counter-shaft and the otherrotated by said second shaft, a clutch 'member for connect ing anddisconnecting said second shaft to and from the gear wheel thereon, anda latch member adapted when engaged with said clutch member to hold thesame in position disconnecting said second shaft and n the gear wheelthereon.

8. In a gearing of the character described, the combination of asupport, a main upright operating shaft rotatably mounted on saidsupport, a motor on said support,

power transmitting mechanism connecting said/"motor with said shaft, asecond shaft aligned with said main shaft and rotated thereby, a tube onand secured to said second shaft and projecting beyond the same, abracket on said tube and held from rota.- tion, a counter-shaftjournaled in said bracket above said tube and arranged transverse'thereto, two vertical rods p' `slidably. mounted in said bracketonopposite sides of said tube, two eccentrics fixed on said counter-shaftand connected with said rods for reciprocatlng the same, two meshinggear wheels, one fixed onsaid counter-shaft and the other rotatablymounted on said bracket, and a clutch mechanism between said secondVshaft and the gear wheel on said bracket.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention, I aiiix mysignature, this 24th day of February, A. D. 1920. v

CHARLES C. LAMB.

